A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or other noble qualities. There are many types of heroes, sometimes heroes are the textbook definition of what the general population considers to be a hero. Other notable heroes can include anyone that is relatable, motivating, and has accomplished something that so few “normal people” have not. Not everyone is a hero, but anyone has the potential to be. Heroes of any background go through a very similar cycle, known as the “Heroes Journey.” Some of the key points of the journey that the hero goes through are 1.) A call to adventure. 2.) Crossing a threshold. 3.) Entering the abyss of darkness. 4.) Returning as a hero. Jay Cutler, a larger than life bodybuilder, is my hero. Cutler’s call occurred in high school when a fitness coach asked if he could train him. He crossed the threshold when he entered his first competitive show. After winning two back to back prestigious awards, he fell off into the abyss of darkness. Few years later he made a major comeback in the body building spotlight, and returned a hero. In this essay, I will argue that Jay Cutler is a hero because he has gone through relatable experiences, I received motivation from the time I met him, and his size, bodybuilding record, and dedication, is extremely above what any “normal person” would even consider.
One of the reasons Jay Cutler is a hero is because his growing up life is so relatable to a large group of people. He was never fed from a silver spoon, he worked hard, before he was even a teenager. His work ethic as a child foreshadowed the potential of what he could become. At 11 years old he worked heavy labor on a concrete crew after school and during the hot summers. Concrete work is tough. Grown up men will complain about how rough concrete work is, and Cutler was only 11. There is a special need for physical and mental toughness when working concrete. Until that concrete is dry, there are no breaks. At 12 years old I placed my first, of what would soon be hundreds, concrete slab. When Cutler entered his senior year of high school at 17 years old, he un-officially started his bodybuilding career. He began an intense level of weight training in high school that created a solid foundation for the rest of his life. After he had begun to create a ripple in the school because of his massive growth, a fitness coach took him under his wing and begun training him to be a bodybuilder. Little did Jay Cutler know that his trainer would take him to places he couldn’t even fathom at the time. When I was 16 years old, I purchased my first gym pass, and to this day I haven’t let my membership lapse. I train intense for one to two hours approximately four to five times a week. A few years out of high school, Cutler competed in his first body building show. Although he did not win, that day was a milestone for his journey into the Olympia’s. The Mr. Olympia competition is one of the ultimate, worldwide, most respected and prestigious shows to compete in. To even enter the show, the athlete must win several specific shows leading up to that event. The ones who win are marked in history as legends. While I have not competed in a show yet, I have high hopes to do so in the near future. Cutler won 14 bodybuilding titles before his row of Mr. Olympia wins. Not counting his major title wins, he has competed in over 40 shows around the globe. (Pro) Jay Cutler has un-officially retired, but he is still very active in the fitness community. He spends most of his time now teaching and coaching up-and-coming athletes, attending fitness expos, motivating and inspiring athlete’s nationwide; being a hero to so many young competitors, including me.
The 5 minutes I spent with Jay Cutler was enough to motivate me for years. Fitcon is one of the biggest and most impressive fitness expos in the west. Walking around the expo, there were a ton of massive, and extremely impressive, bodybuilders, one of which was Mr. Cutler. I walked by and I kind of freaked out like a little girl meeting her favorite pop star. He was very impressive to say the least. The line to meet him was literally miles out the door. He was obviously a few other people’s hero there as well. There was so much to see at the expo, it was not worth standing in line for hours. As the expo died down and people started to dwindle away, I passed by Jay Cutler’s booth again. This time, the line was only 20 people long. The second I got in line, Jay pointed straight at me and said “You’re the last one buddy.” All the hours I spent watching Jay’s motivational videos came swimming to the front of my mind and I could not believe I was here! I got to the front of the line, shook his hand, and took a photo with him. Overjoyed as I was I stuttered out a few words, something between “Thanks man” and “Holy crap I love you man!” To Jay Cutler, I was just another fan, just another photo. But even I had no idea what this one photo would do to me at the time. Even looking back now, I am still overly impressed with all that I have accomplished since that moment. Ever since the day after Mr. Cutler took a photo with me, it has been taped to my whiteboard in my office. It is taped underneath a header saying “GOALS.” Every day I show up to my office, I look up and see the picture of me and my Hero, I find the motivation to make it through one more day. Every day I leave the office, I find the motivation to do what ever it takes to be just like Jay Cutler. 20 minutes in line, one minute with my hero, has equaled a lifetime of motivation for me to be the best that I can.
Jay Cutler, larger than life itself, has the literal statue of a hero. Yes, there are several bodybuilders that have more metals and more accolades. One of which was Ronnie Coleman. Coleman is one of the highest decorated bodybuilders. He was a police officer for many years and ruled in the bodybuilding world for years. Ronnie Coleman had his reign ended by Jay Cutler. Jay Cutler is the only mind-blowing man to beat Coleman in a Mr. Olympia. On that day, Cutler, with four Mr. Olympia’s, became the greatest bodybuilder of all time. This is not counting all the shows that he has placed in. Over two decades worth of competing. (Team 1) His achievements on the stage go to prove his dedication and commitment to this sport. Cutler’s most astounding achievements is his pure mass size. Jay Cutler has a day to day walking weight of 290 pounds. When it is time for a show he slims down to a solid rock of 260 pounds. With a chest circumference of 58 inches, arms flexed at 22 inches, a stout neck of 19.5 inches, tiptoeing on 20-inch calves, and supporting his whole body on 33-inch thighs. With his size, this man, is barely even considered a man. He doesn’t need any radiation he is already the size of a super hero! (Celeb 1) Compared to the actor of Captain America, Chris Evans. Chris has a chest size of 47 inches, 17-inch biceps. Cutler is so much bigger than the actors that play super heroes. Jay Cutler can also bench over 500 pounds. He is a walking incredible Hulk! He has the literal strength and size of a superhero.
Some people don’t think Jay Cutler is a hero. It could be argued that he cheated. In 2001 Jay Cutler, along with Markus Ruhl, tested positive for banned diuretics. (Archive 1) Diuretics are used to increase urine flow to help loose mass amounts of weight before a show. Diuretics are banned because it decreases the chance of drug being flagged. He also has openly admitted to using steroids. Cutler openly discusses the danger associated with steroids, and how it helped give him and edge to win the Olympias. Although, Steroids did not make Jay Cutler who he is today. Cutler entered the “Roid World” several years before he retired. The last 20 years before he took steroids made cutler who he is now. What people don’t understand is; Jay Cutler couldn’t just inject himself with steroids, and then plop down on the couch and eat a bag of Cheetos. During the time of his steroid use he was eating six-eight meals a day, working out for three-five hours at a time. Jay Cutler benched 500 pounds just out of high school, before roids were ever a twinkle in his eyes. Cutler was a monster of mass before he took steroids, and he is still a monster without steroids.
Jay Cutler is a hero. Cutler is a hero because of the experiences he has gone through, the motivation that radiates from him, and his legendary accomplishments. Not everyone wants to be a body builder. Not just anyone has the dedication and the will power to be a bodybuilder. Everyone has the ability to put in hard work and long-term dedication into their dreams and goals. Jay Cutler did not have a magical clock that gave him more time in the day than you or I. Cutler had the same 24 hours to live, train, eat, and sleep. Everyone has 24 hours in a day. Each and every person must decide every single day, if they want to keep looking up to a hero, or if they want to be like that hero.
WORK CITED
Team, G I. “Jason ‘Jay’ Cutler.” Generation Iron, GI Team, 4 Aug. 2017, generationiron.com/jay-cutler-profile-stats/. Jason “Jay” Cutler
Pro Profiles “Jay Cutler Pro BodyBuilding Profile” Bodybuilding 24 sept. 2017 bodybuilding.com/fun/bodybuilders-jay.htm
Archive, I. “November 2001.” NewsPro, Intrernet Archive, Nov. 2001, web.archive.org/web/20121025225234/.
Celeb, H. “Bodybuilder Jay Cutler Height Weight Body Measuremnts” Healthy Celeb 19 June 2018 healthyceleb.com/bodybuilder-jay-cutler-height-weight-body-measurements/1196
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